A Scottish Journey: On the Road to Stirling

By Nujma Bond

Driving through parts of Scotland, you would sometimes think you are in Canada, such are the similarities of the topography in some rural areas. But mostly, the countryside is distinctly Scottish. For me, as I traveled along the curved highway north of Glasgow, it meant rolling greenish hills and valleys. It meant herds of fluffy sheep meandering through meadows, and the occasionally narrowed highways with cars whizzing by, seemingly only inches away. Still, I felt comfortable only hours after having landed. Scotland was new, but somehow it felt like an old friend.

While Dumbarton was not part of my original “must-see” places, it was along my planned route and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit my first Scottish castle. Who knew if I would get to see another one over the coming days. This particular medieval creation is absolutely steeped in history. 

I arrived during a rainstorm, and somehow found my way to the front entrance which was somewhat obscured by scaffolding to accommodate the work being done on the imposing structure. When I arrived, there was no-one at the little front shop and no-one around the castle grounds as far as the eye could see. For a few quiet moments, it was a strangely unique feeling, as if I were the only one inside a Scottish castle built in the 1200s. As an imposing defence against would-be invaders, and a place where Mary Queen of Scots once sought shelter, the past was palpable. 

I decided to say “hello?”… A friendly woman appeared and gave me the rundown on the self-guided tour. She shared that parts of the castle are sometimes closed - especially on windy days. But today I was lucky. Because of the foul weather, I decided to visit only a couple of sections of the castle and its grounds, just to get the feel of it. It felt a bit surreal. Hiking up a rather treacherous narrow stone stairway leading up the castle’s river side, I was rewarded with a cloudy albeit majestic view of the River Clyde where it meets the River Leven – something that would have been even more stunning on a sunny day. I imagined the workers who must have somehow built this structure on the edge of a precipice so long ago. 

After leaving with some Scottish mementos and gifts – picking up a bag of modern-day Mackie’s Haggis and black pepper chips for friends back home, jolts you back to the present - it was time to hit the road.

The weather was not ideal throughout most of my journey to Scotland, but truthfully, I didn’t mind. I was so busy exploring, that the cooler temperatures mixed with regular showers and downpours came to be little more than a nuisance. Plus, I had come prepared with rubber boots… those are a must. The upside to traveling during the country’s mild winter season is the lack of lineups or crowds anywhere. If potentially tricky weather doesn’t scare you, I would even recommend that time of year because you’ll find you can cover a lot of territory and still enjoy a relatively leisurely pace. 

I passed along the vast watery tip of Loch Lomond known as the gateway to the Highlands. The driving rain signalled that this was not the trip for cruising the local waters or for spotting Nessie. And unfortunately, the Highlands would have to wait for a future journey. 

Stirling was an attractive city, with its namesake castle from the Middle Ages perched high atop a hill. Once Scotland’s capital, it has a rich history that is well worth reading more about. My stay in the city was brief but what I experienced made a lasting impression. The evening of my arrival, a full rainbow emerged from the shower-filled sky as the sun broke through while a Scottish flag flapped in the wind. To me, it symbolized a wonderfully visual welcome to Scotland. 

You could call Stirling a university town, with its tree-lined University of Stirling campus deserving of a scenic walk, and that is where I decided to explore a bit further. Its on-site hotel restaurant served one of the best – if not the best – burger I have ever had, made of Ayrshire beef and perfectly cooked. With sticky toffee pudding afterwards, it was an ideal initial taste of Scotland.

I could not pass up a visit to Stirling Castle the next sunny windy morning, but the blustery weather had closed it for the day – something that does not happen often according to Ian, a gentleman who told me he works there and whom I just happened to bump into while he was walking by the castle on his day off. Its impressing presence was still a thrill to experience in person, made doubly special because of yet another brilliant rainbow that appeared while I was high atop the hill. 

One of the most fun parts of any traveling adventure is exploring shops and stores to absorb some local flavour, and that includes grocery stores for me. Stirling was where I came upon a chain called Sainsbury’s. Of course, I went in and browsed the vast aisles. At the end of one, was a banner advertising Robbie Burns Day, and some of the tasty foods to serve on that occasion. By the end of my unanticipated stop, I had gathered up several necessary items like some smoky regional cheese, a thick bar of Cadbury’s chocolate - which I insist tastes better in Scotland – and some Scottish tea. 

At the checkout counter I chatted with the attendant who has a friend who lives in Canada. He’d like to visit Canada one day too, he told me. Standing in a grocery store in Stirling, thousands of kilometres from home, it sure felt like a small world after all. 

It was but one of the coincidental “Canadian connections” I would experience during my Scottish journey. Next stop: Edinburgh. Over the next few days I was to experience some of the best times I could have hoped for on my journey!